It’s been a tight battle among the top two teams, the 2024 Star North American Championship held in Newport Harbor Yacht Club, ended yesterday and has a winner, actually two, it is the father – son team Paul and Danny Cayard. Going into the 8th and final race, just two points separated the top three teams: Cayard/Cayard, George Szabo/Guy Avellon, John Dane/Dave Martin. After a tight battle for most of the race, it was only in the final leg that the Cayard duo moved ahead and clinched the win. An excellent result for the Cayards, who had previously sailed together in events such as the Star Vintage Gold Cup, but now together they conquered a Silver Star – Paul is also a Star World Champion and previous Continental Champion.
The sailing conditions went from light sea breeze in the first couple of days, to a stronger one towards the end of the Championship, allowing the 26-boat fleet to complete all the eight scheduled races. Current played an important part in the game as much as the ocean swell, Paul and Danny Cayard were the best at managing all of the elements and the fleet on the racecourse.
In third place the Star Class veteran, John Dane III, the Southerner Olympian with Dave Martin, had an amazing week and finished only nine points behind the North American Champions, while another Star World Champion sits right behind in fourth place; Eric Doyle with Payson Infelise, forced to retire in race six, they then could not discard a ‘heavy’ 14th.
America’s Cup legend John Kosteki with Olympian crew Austin Sperry, here to train for the Star World Championship in San Diego from September 4 to the 13, finished sixth overall, a great achievement for the team who only recently started sailing together.
The North American Championship fleet will be joined shortly by another 40 boats for the 2024 Star World Championship in San Diego, a place dear to the Class, and cradle of many Star legends.